The Student Room Group

psychology B Psyb2 would anyone like to share revision?

There isn't much study help for this specification. Could we set up a revision thread on here?

Scroll to see replies

Not many people do this spec, Which topics are you doing? Im doing social influence, memory and anxiety disorders :smile:
I'm doing Memory, Social Influence and Autism
Reply 3
Social Influence, remembering and forgetting and anxiety disorders.

Have your tutors or teachers given any predictions for the paper? I'm self teaching psychology so I have no insight or professional advise
I think their may be a few more questions on social facilitation, but that's only because not many past papers have had high marking questions on it.
We've been given advice on how to plan the essays if you need help with that?
The main thing we've been told is to just put down as many points as there are marks for the short answer questions (one sentence a mark basically).
Reply 5
Original post by estabonorange
I think their may be a few more questions on social facilitation, but that's only because not many past papers have had high marking questions on it.
We've been given advice on how to plan the essays if you need help with that?
The main thing we've been told is to just put down as many points as there are marks for the short answer questions (one sentence a mark basically).

If you could help with the essays I would appreciate that very much thank you
Reply 6
Hi all - I'm home studying this too so am looking for any advice your teachers may have given re the questions.

Any help with the essay structures etc.. is greatly appreciated!

Thanks :smile:
Reply 7
Also - what text books have people used to study this course? Have you used the Hodder one or the Nelson Thorne one?
Original post by dmet
If you could help with the essays I would appreciate that very much thank you


The basic structure goes like :
Explain topic
Name a study
Evaluate study
Evaluate topic

They may even get you to do 2 topics for example in memory: "discuss how interference and retrieval failure can explain forgetting. Refer to evidence in your answer. (10 marks)". This is an actual past question.

There are AO1 and AO2 marks, 5 of each.
AO1 will be the description of topic and name a study.
AO2 marks are evaluation points. During evaluation if you can compare to another topic you can get extra marks.

As an example, let's use the question above and make an essay plan:

Explain interference "events that take place between learning and recall can disrupt memory" (explain proactive and retroactive)
Name a study ( look at "Keppel & Underwood 1962" or "Baddeley & Hitch 1977", or ask me if you want a summer of the studies ) And short evaluation of the study!
Evaluate interference - it tells us little about cognitive processes involved in forgetting, but there is no doubt that it is an explanation.

Next we go onto retrieval failure, basically the same structure:
Explain retrieval failure " we can't recall information from the long term memory without the correct retrieval clues. The information is available but inaccessible."
Name a study ( "Tulving & Pearlstone 1966" is a good one, again ask me if you'd like a summary ) evaluate study again
Evaluate retrieval failure- it is not a complete explanation of forgetting as it doesn't explain why some memories can remain vivid in the absence of cues.

See its all basically the same structure for every psychology essay! You can do it, just keep writing summaries for every topic, they only take 10 minuets and its a great way to getting use to writing the quick on the spot like in an exam (:
Reply 9
I am using Nelson Thorne.
Reply 10
Original post by estabonorange
The basic structure goes like :
Explain topic
Name a study
Evaluate study
Evaluate topic

They may even get you to do 2 topics for example in memory: "discuss how interference and retrieval failure can explain forgetting. Refer to evidence in your answer. (10 marks)". This is an actual past question.

There are AO1 and AO2 marks, 5 of each.
AO1 will be the description of topic and name a study.
AO2 marks are evaluation points. During evaluation if you can compare to another topic you can get extra marks.

As an example, let's use the question above and make an essay plan:

Explain interference "events that take place between learning and recall can disrupt memory" (explain proactive and retroactive)
Name a study ( look at "Keppel & Underwood 1962" or "Baddeley & Hitch 1977", or ask me if you want a summer of the studies ) And short evaluation of the study!
Evaluate interference - it tells us little about cognitive processes involved in forgetting, but there is no doubt that it is an explanation.

Next we go onto retrieval failure, basically the same structure:
Explain retrieval failure " we can't recall information from the long term memory without the correct retrieval clues. The information is available but inaccessible."
Name a study ( "Tulving & Pearlstone 1966" is a good one, again ask me if you'd like a summary ) evaluate study again
Evaluate retrieval failure- it is not a complete explanation of forgetting as it doesn't explain why some memories can remain vivid in the absence of cues.

See its all basically the same structure for every psychology essay! You can do it, just keep writing summaries for every topic, they only take 10 minuets and its a great way to getting use to writing the quick on the spot like in an exam (:


Thank you very much
Original post by dmet
Thank you very much


I really hope it helps, of there's any studies you'd like me to tell you about or if you'd like help with any topic then just message me I'll be more than happy to help :smile:
Reply 12
Original post by estabonorange
The basic structure goes like :
Explain topic
Name a study
Evaluate study
Evaluate topic

They may even get you to do 2 topics for example in memory: "discuss how interference and retrieval failure can explain forgetting. Refer to evidence in your answer. (10 marks)". This is an actual past question.

There are AO1 and AO2 marks, 5 of each.
AO1 will be the description of topic and name a study.
AO2 marks are evaluation points. During evaluation if you can compare to another topic you can get extra marks.

As an example, let's use the question above and make an essay plan:

Explain interference "events that take place between learning and recall can disrupt memory" (explain proactive and retroactive)
Name a study ( look at "Keppel & Underwood 1962" or "Baddeley & Hitch 1977", or ask me if you want a summer of the studies ) And short evaluation of the study!
Evaluate interference - it tells us little about cognitive processes involved in forgetting, but there is no doubt that it is an explanation.

Next we go onto retrieval failure, basically the same structure:
Explain retrieval failure " we can't recall information from the long term memory without the correct retrieval clues. The information is available but inaccessible."
Name a study ( "Tulving & Pearlstone 1966" is a good one, again ask me if you'd like a summary ) evaluate study again
Evaluate retrieval failure- it is not a complete explanation of forgetting as it doesn't explain why some memories can remain vivid in the absence of cues.

See its all basically the same structure for every psychology essay! You can do it, just keep writing summaries for every topic, they only take 10 minuets and its a great way to getting use to writing the quick on the spot like in an exam (:


Thank you SO much!!
Reply 13
Original post by estabonorange
I really hope it helps, of there's any studies you'd like me to tell you about or if you'd like help with any topic then just message me I'll be more than happy to help :smile:

The specification for phobias states ' explanations of phobias including behavioural and psychodynamic. It doesnt actually name behavioural or cognitive. Surely we could be asked about all 4 theories?
Original post by smp14
Thank you SO much!!


Aww you're welcome! If you need anymore help please ask, and just remember all essays have the same basic structure! As long as you remember the 4 things :
° explain topic
° study
° evaluate study
° evaluate topic
You'll do fine (:
Original post by dmet
The specification for phobias states ' explanations of phobias including behavioural and psychodynamic. It doesnt actually name behavioural or cognitive. Surely we could be asked about all 4 theories?


You'd think so wouldn't you? But no, for phobias it's behavioural and psychodynamic ONLY THOSE TWO!!! For ocd in the same section it's cognitive and biological.
Don't be fooled by past papers, the spec has changed slightly from last year.
Reply 16
Marvellous I wasn't sure if the spec was leading me into thinking there were only two explaination when there was actually four. I should trust what I read to be true
Original post by dmet
Marvellous I wasn't sure if the spec was leading me into thinking there were only two explaination when there was actually four. I should trust what I read to be true


It's actually a common confusion this year, but there's no need to revise 2 extra explanations it's just a waste of time xD
Reply 18
Original post by estabonorange
It's actually a common confusion this year, but there's no need to revise 2 extra explanations it's just a waste of time xD


This is my final question I promise but which treatments have you been told to study for phobias and also for OCD. My specification and text book don't seem to match up unless some therapies are applicable for both conditions
Original post by dmet
This is my final question I promise but which treatments have you been told to study for phobias and also for OCD. My specification and text book don't seem to match up unless some therapies are applicable for both conditions


Ask all the questions you like, I'm just glad to help :biggrin:

The behaviourist therapies for phobias:
° Systematic desensitization developed by Wolpe 1958 (for studies of the therapies look at "Lang & Lazovik 1963" or "McGrath 1990")
° Virtual reality exposure therapy (I have an evaluation sheet of this therapy if you'd like me to send it to you)
° Zinbarg 1992 did a long term follow up of patients of both therapies and found that patients who had Systematic desensitization were more effectively treated.

The psychodynamic treatment of phobias:
° The classic psychoanalysis therapies ( free association, word association, dream analysis and projective tests )
°Brief psychoanalysis ( uses the same techniques but is shorter around 8-12 weeks and normal psychoanalysis can take years )

The cognitive treatments for OCD:
° cognitive restructuring ( teaches patients to realise that their unrealistic thinking is wrong, and try to make them recognise that they're being irrational)
°Reality testing ( for example challenging someone with cleaning ocd, simply not to clean for a whole day and see what happens)
°Habituation training (make the person deliberately think of the intrusive thoughts that's cause ocd, eventually the intrusive thoughts will seem less anxiety provoking)
° Cottreaux 2001 compared cognitive therapy with behaviourist therapy (Although you don't need behaviourist it's still a comparison) I have the notes here if you'd like, just ask!

The biological treatment of OCD:
° SSRI's. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, as the biological theory is that people with ocd have a lack of serotonin ("Julien 2005" found that in 50%-80% of cases the symptoms of ocd improved)
° Anxiolytics (including benzodiazepines and beta blockers) ask if you want those explaining.

I have evaluations of each therapy here if you need help, please ask if you need anything else! :biggrin:

Quick Reply

Latest